Wednesday, August 24, 2016

REGINA TRENCH!

(As promised in the previous
post, here, finally, are some details about my upcoming event at our
local game convention coming up in September!)

As an interim objective in the Vimy
Project (and to raise some local awareness of the project) I am
putting on a game at ToonCon
2016 that I am calling REGINA TRENCH!

ToonCon 2016 takes placeon 23-25 September 2016 – just before the 100th
anniversary of the attack on Thiepval Ridge at the Somme. On 26 September 1916
the British Reserve army kicked off an offensive to take Thiepval Ridge, which dominated
the upper Anchre River valley on the Somme Front. On the army’s right, The
Canadian Corps attacked with elements of two divisions on a spur of the ridge.
The First Division’s objective was to clear out Zollern Graben and Hessian
Trench. Regina Trench itself, further to the rear, was not initially considered
an objective as there wasn’t enough information available about the state of
the barbed wire entanglements before the trench.

Historically speaking, though gains were made and some
assaulting Canadians actually made it to Regina Trench on the 26th,
they were obliged to give it up under relentless counter attacks from the
Germans, and retire to previously captured lines. Regina Trench was finally
captured later in October.

I’m calling the event Regina Trench, however, because I thought
it might more succinctly indicate what the event is about. “Trench” is pretty
much synonymous with “World War One” and Regina is the capitol of Saskatchewan
(the province in which I live), and thus I’d hoped people would immediately
glean from the name that the event is a game set in the Great War and that
there might be some local (or at least Canadian) involvement. If I’d called it
the “Battle of Thiepval Ridge” I doubt many would have had any idea what war it
had taken place in, much less that there was any Canadian involvement.

As it stands I have the scenario and terrain (more or less)
all mapped out and most of the figuresare painted. The Terrain, unlike the Vimy terrain, which I am purpose
building to be a fairly accurate replica, will be made up of a more generic
modular trench system of three lines (which will be designated Zollern Graben,
Hessian/Sudbury Trench and Regina/Kenora Trench) that could be used for other
battles. Over the coming weeks I will post updates on the progress of the terrain
building.

For rules I will be falling back on my modified Contemptible
Little Armies (2nd Edition) – the rules are simple, straightforward,
and streamlined enough that anyone should be able to play – regardless of
experience (or lack thereof) with miniature games or knowledge of military
history or tactics. The preparatory barrage will be all mapped out as part of
the scenario – the challenge for the players will be to more forward and get
into the enemy trench line quickly before the Germans have time to set up after
the bombardment passes over them.

For anyone local enough to attend – registration for the
weekend is open and one of the four slots for Regina Trench has already been
filled! For more information about ToonCon and how to register check out the
website:

And maybe, just in case my camera does something silly like it did on the vacation, I'll have my kids come by the table and take some pictures as well (though I think they've signed up for some other game during that time slot...).